REHABILITATING JUDAS ISCARIOT
                And "Getting on the Horn with God," Theatrically 
                                              By V.I. Hambleton
        artssf.com, the independent observer of San Francisco Bay Area theater
                                                                 Weeks starting Sept. 21, 2009
                                                                 Vol. 12, No. 14

        Judas is on trial.  He’s already been in Hell for a couple thousand years, so why the title of the play now at City Lights Theater in San Jose is entitled “last days of Judas” is curious to say the least.
          A sexy blonde defense attorney named Fabiana Aziza Cunningham (Alika Ululani Spencer) has a petition signed by God (she writes, apparently) to transfer Judas to innocence and Heaven.  The prosecutor, Yusef Ed-Fayoumy (John Romano) is a posturing lech; half of his attention goes to his lawyering, and half to lusting after every female than crosses his path.  Does all of this sound improbable?  It gets worse.  As witness for the defense, Saint Monica, mother of St. Augustine, (Lonique Genelle) tells us in salty, “hip” language that she  checked out Judas, and finding him faultless, went back to Heaven and “got on the horn with God”.  Mother Teresa (who didn’t actually get to Heaven until at least 1997), Sigmund Freud, and even Satan appear as witnesses. 

          Somewhere in all of this, there probably is a play.  Author Stephen Adly Guirgis has written several plays directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman.  “Our Lady of 121st Street”, “Jesus Hopped on the ‘A’ Train” and others are characterized by City Lights dramaturg, Vera Sloan, as works that “tackle complex spiritual, moral, and religious issues framed within a modern, urban context”.  But for me the complexity obscures the point of it all, and if there is a play there somewhere, it requires a fair amount of editing.
           Kit Wilder directed, and scene design and technical direction by Ron Gasparinetti along with lighting design by Michael Palumbo in what might be called the improvisational physical environment of City Lights were well done.  I am a fan of City Lights, but this time it seems they bit off more than could be chewed. But see for yourself. 
            “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot,” for better or worse, will run until October 18.  City Lights Theater Company.  529 S. Second St.  San Jose. For info:  (408)295-4200 or go online.
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        © V.I. Hambleton 2009
            V.I. Hambleton is a regular theater reviewer for artssf.com.
    These critiques appearing weekly (or sometimes semi-weekly, but never weakly)focus on theater, dance and new musical creativity in performance, with forays into recordings by local artists, and a few departures into books (by authors of the region)as well.
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